Survey reveals a year of disasters has Canadians wanting to give back
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Majority of Canadians feel compelled to donate to charity or volunteer this holiday season

TORONTO, Nov. 27, 2017 /CNW/ - A new Ipsos survey for the Canadian Red Cross finds that in light of the numerous disasters in Canada and abroad last year, most Canadians (63 per cent) feel compelled to donate to charity or volunteer their time as we approach this holiday season. Nearly half of Canadians (44 per cent) want to help both those in need in Canada and in other parts of the world, while 52 per cent feel strongly about giving here at home.

The Canadian Red Cross helps vulnerable people both in Canada and around the world in times of disaster. On average, Red Cross volunteers are responding to a disaster every three hours, from personal house fires to major disasters like the flooding in Quebec and Ontario this past spring. And internationally, the Red Cross deployed 136 Canadian aid workers in the past year to 32 different countries, to help in the aftermath of devastating events such as Hurricane Irma.

QUOTE

"During my time as a Red Cross volunteer, I have seen firsthand the impact that giving has on the lives of people in need of help. Whether it was the family who lost everything after a house fire or the brave people I met following disaster destruction overseas, I am constantly moved by the courage of individuals, and by the hope the Red Cross is able to deliver."

- Guy Lepage, Canadian Red Cross Volunteer

"The Red Cross holiday campaign is about giving generous Canadians a choice to have a meaningful impact near or far. From blankets that keep people fleeing from conflict warm, to providing food and supplies to vulnerable people here in Canada, a gift during the holiday season has the power to bring relief to those who are impacted by disasters throughout the year."

- Ronan Ryan, Chief Development Officer, Canadian Red Cross

SPOKESPERSON AVAILABILITY

Canadian Red Cross volunteers and aid workers including Guy Lepage are available to discuss the real-life impact of donations to the Canadian Red Cross and their firsthand experiences providing support both in Canada and abroad.

Ronan Ryan is available to discuss the importance of giving philanthropically during a time of year where both generosity and hardship is top of mind for Canadians.

Here in Canada and overseas, the Red Cross stands ready to help people before, during and after a disaster. As a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement – which is made up of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and 190 national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies – the Canadian Red Cross is dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity in Canada and throughout the world.

About this survey

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos poll conducted between November 13 and November 16, 2017, on behalf of the Canadian Red Cross. For this survey, a sample of 1,202 Canadians aged 18+ was interviewed. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics to ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. The precision of Ipsos online polls is measured using a credibility interval. In this case, the poll is accurate to within ±3.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, had all Canadian adults been polled. The credibility interval will be wider among subsets of the population. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

SOURCE Canadian Red Cross

For further information: English Media Line: 1-877-599-9602; French Media Line: 1-888-418-9111